Tossing Salt Presents:
AEW Forbidden Door
Thoughts & Predictions
June 25, 2022
DougMaynard.com

Coming up on Sunday, live from Chicago, IL, is a co-promoted event between AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. It’s Forbidden Door and it’s available for viewing on PPV, Bleacher Report, and FITE.TV. It’s a big show for AEW and of course, that means it’s prediction time. I’ll go ahead and admit here that I’m not as familiar with the stars of New Japan as I probably should be, but I’ve got both YouTube and Wikipedia on tap to use as reference material. I’ll try to be as fair to the New Japan peeps as I can. So are you ready? Let’s do this. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jon Moxley to crown the Interim AEW World Champion.

As good as Tanahashi is, I can’t see AEW flying him back and forth from Japan several times a month to be on TV and defend an Interim Championship. It just isn’t going to happen. Look for Moxley to come out on top and walk away with the Interim gold.

Winner and NEW Interim AEW World Champion: Jon Moxley

IWGP Champion Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okaka vs. Adam Cole vs. Hangman Page.

This one, the same scenario fits as I can’t see New Japan flying either Cole or Page to Japan regularly to make sure the champ is present for TV or arena shows. Also, AEW has so many people currently out with injury, that they can’t really afford to lose any other top stars right now. So that means either Jay White or Okaka. Let’s go with Jay White retaining his title.

Winner and STILL IWGP Champion: Jay White

AEW World Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa vs. Toni Storm.

Thunder Rosa is just starting to really grow on me as the AEW Women’s Champion. Toni Storm? Not so much. I don’t think we’ll see a title switch here,

Winner and STILL AEW Women’s World Champion: Thunder Rosa

Bryan Danielson’s mystery man vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Our first task is figuring out who the mystery man will be. Johnny Gargano is the first option, but he only fits part of the description given by Bryan Danielson on Dynamite. The other, better choice is the man we once called Cesaro. I’m hoping for Cesaro. And if it is him, he’s not coming to AEW and making a debut to lose.

Winner: Bryan Danielson’s Mystery Man (Cesaro)

IWGP United States Champion Will Ospreay vs. Orange Cassidy.

According to Tony Khan, this is the match they wanted all along with Orange fighting Ospreay. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see Cassidy as a top guy and this match, after hearing so much about how good Ospreay is supposed to be, is kind of a letdown. Cassidy is better than most people give him credit for, but he’s not booked as a top guy, yet here he is. Let’s go for a shocker here. How about Kenny Omega showing up, causing a distraction, and Orange getting a win, thus giving him the rub and a tour of Japan, while Omega and Ospreay feud here at AEW. Sounds like a plan to me.

Winner and the NEW IWGP United States Champion: Orange Cassidy

ROH Tag Team Champions FTR vs. IWGP Tag Team Champions Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb vs. Roppongi Vice with all titles on the line.

If all the tag team titles are on the line, why is Roppongi Vice in this match and not the current AEW Tag Team Champions, The Young Bucks, who are not even wrestling on this card? It doesn’t make sense. I’ve only seen Khan and Cobb wrestle a few times and I’m not impressed at all. Cobb looked good when he was in ROH, but he’s gained weight since then and seems sloppier in the ring. I think FTR needs the big push to help cement their reputation as the best tag team in the world today. 

Winners and NEW IWGP Tag Team Champions: ROH Tag Team Champions FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood).

Pac vs. Miro vs. Carl Connors vs. Malakai Black to determine the first-ever AEW All-Atlantic Champion.

I have no idea who Carl Conners is, nor do I really care. Malakai Black doesn’t seem to have that it-factor going on any more than he had in WWE and I don’t think he’ll be coming out on top here. Maybe Pac? No, I don’t think so. I checked my calendar and this event, it just happens to fall on a very special day. It’s the holiday formerly known as Rusev Day. Now we call it Miro Day. I wonder if this will be when Lana finally makes her debut? We’ll see.

Winner and NEW AEW All-Atlantic Champion: Miro

Eddie Kingston & Shota Umino, Wheeler Yuta vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara & Minoru Suzuki – Winners Gain Advantage at Blood & Guts.

It always works better when the heels have the early advantage in the big matches, plus Jericho, Sammy, and Suzuki have a big numbers advantage with the Jericho Appreciation Society, Tay Conti, and Floyd the Bat all working in their favor. If I recall correctly, Santana & Ortiz can’t work this show due to CMLL/AAA saying no. Look for Jericho and friends to win to get that big advantage at Blood & Guts.

Winners: Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevera & Minoru Suzuki.

AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks & El Phantasmo & Hikuleo vs. Darby Allin & Sting & Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi.

Remember what I said about the Young Bucks earlier? Forget all that. I had forgotten about this match. My bad! This one is a tough call because I can see reasons for both sides to win. I guess I’ll just go with the EVP factor and call it for the Bucks and friends. Why not.

Winners: The Young Bucks, El Phantasmo & Hikuleo 

The Buy-In: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. QT Marshall & Aaron Solo.

As much as I like QT and Solo, they’re not going to be allowed to win here. Goto is, I believe, one of the bookers for New Japan. If he is, as I believe, he’s not going to book himself to lose.

Winners: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI

The Buy-In: Shane Strickland & Keith Lee vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru.

So does Shane pull another Swerve on Keith Lee or do they work together as a team? I think they’ll be on the same page here and take that trip to the pay window with a big victory.

Winners: Shane Strickland & Keith Lee

The Buy-In: Max Caster & The Gunn Club vs. NJPW Dojo’s Kevin Knight & The DKC & Alex Coughlin & Yuya Uemura.

Scissor Me Daddy Ass! ‘Nuff said! After all, everyone loves The Acclaim. 

Winners: Max Caster & (Not The Ass Boys) Gunn Club

And there you go. Am I right? Am I wrong? I guess we’ll find out Sunday night in Chicago. So, what are your thoughts & predictions? Let me know, along with any other comments, thoughts, or questions you may have. And with that, I guess we’re through here. Until the next time, take care and be safe. I’ll see you at the Forbidden Door.

Ubuntu!